Netflix's 'Trauma Center' Surpasses 'Squid Game' Season 2 to Claim Global No. 2 Spot

Netflix's latest series, 'Trauma Center' (중증외상센터), has made waves by surpassing 'Squid Game' Season 2 to secure the second position in the global rankings. According to FlixPatrol, as of January 29, 'Trauma Center' has climbed to the second spot (619 points) in Netflix's Top 10 TV shows worldwide, marking the highest achievement for a Korean production after moving up from third place the previous day.

The series has reached the number one position in eight countries, including South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Peru, and has now expanded its reach to 13 countries, adding Venezuela, El Salvador, and Ecuador.

Meanwhile, the globally popular 'Squid Game 2' has slightly dropped from second to third place (590 points) but continues to attract significant attention. The top spot is held by the American Netflix series 'The Night Agent' Season 2, which was released around the same time as 'Trauma Center.' Excluding 'The Night Agent 2,' 'Trauma Center' currently ranks as the number one non-English series globally, with a narrowing point gap that raises expectations for its future performance.

Additionally, according to Netflix Tudum's Top 10 website, 'Trauma Center' recorded 4.7 million viewership hours (calculated by dividing total viewing time by the show's runtime) from January 20 to January 26, achieving the third position in the global non-English TV show category just three days after its release. It has also maintained the top spot in South Korea's Top 10 series and has appeared in the Top 10 lists of 26 countries, including Chile, Peru, Romania, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

'Trauma Center' follows the story of a genius trauma surgeon, Baek Kang-hyuk (played by Ju Ji-hoon), who is assigned to revive a struggling trauma team at a university hospital that is facing financial difficulties as they save patients. The cast also includes Choo Young-woo as the first fellow Yang Jae-won, Ha Young as nurse Cheon Jang-mi, Yoon Kyung-ho as the head of the proctology department Han Yoo-rim, and Jung Jae-kwang as resident anesthesiologist Park Kyung-won.

The series is based on a webtoon by former doctor Han San-ika (Lee Nak-jun), who has hinted at the possibility of Seasons 2 and 3 through his YouTube channel 'Doctor Friends.' He reflected on the journey, stating, 'At first, I thought it was a delusion. When I hoped my novel would become a webtoon and a drama back in 2019, it seemed impossible. But then the rights were sold, and suddenly filming began in 2023.' He also mentioned, 'If the drama does well, there will likely be a Season 2. Season 1 doesn't cover everything, and if viewers are curious about what happens next, they can check out my webtoon or web novel. The drama was already designed with Seasons 2 and 3 in mind.'